Comics Alliance: An AOL Comic Book Community

Volume 8 of D.Gray-Man continues the story of Allen Walker with minimal Allen Walker in this volume. You can gain a deeper understanding of how I feel about the series as a whole in my old blog as I spoke about D.Gray-Man vol. 6. I still find the story, at times, confusing as it moves very fast and there seems to be so much back-story left to learn about, but I'm very pleased to say volume 8 really kicks up and continues the battle from volume 7 and starts to give hope for future volumes. Check out the entire impression for D.Gray-man now.

VIZ MEDIA BRINGS NEW PERSPECTIVE TO MANGA ARENA WITH DEBUT OF VIZBIG EDITION IMPRINT

New Imprint To Offer Omnibus Editions Of Popular Manga Series With New Cover Art, Color Pages And Bonus Content

San Francisco, CA, January 3, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, brings a new perspective to the manga marketplace with the launch of a new imprint called VIZBIG Edition. The new imprint will release omnibus editions of top-selling manga series in a larger 5-3/4 x 8-5/8 size (larger than the standard 5 x 7-1/2 manga) with special premium presentations including new cover art.

RUROUNI KENSHIN will be the first series to receive the VIZBIG Edition treatment this month, with DRAGON BALL and DRAGON BALL Z set for May release and Takehiko Inoue's VAGABOND will follow in Fall of 2008. These VIZBIG Edition titles have an anticipated initial cover price of $17.99 and will be released quarterly. Several other titles are also presently being considered for future VIZBIG Edition publication.

Each debut VIZBIG Edition will contain the first three volumes of the original graphic novel series presented with larger trim size, bonus color pages and added content such as author interviews, updated text and character art. The new editions serve as ideal comprehensive introductions for new readers to some of manga's best-known titles, and a great way for seasoned fans to see their favorite titles in a new perspective.

RUROUNI KENSHIN, the internationally bestselling series created by Nobuhiro Watsuki, depicts the adventures of Himura Kenshin, a "rurouni," or wandering samurai, who was once an assassin of ferocious power but now fights to protect the honor and safety of those in need. The story, set during the Meiji era of Japan during the 1800s, has been adapted into a hit anime series, three films and several novels. This title was also the first manga to be placed on the notable USA TODAY top 150 list.

DRAGON BALL and DRAGON BALL Z, created by Akira Toriyama, are universally recognized as modern manga classics. With a unique blend of martial arts, science fiction and memorable characters, they update the classic Chinese legend of the Monkey King. DRAGON BALL follows the life of a monkey-tailed boy named Son Goku in a 16-volume series that has since become one of the most successful manga properties ever created. Goku's life changes when he meets a girl named Bulma and sets out to help her gather all seven Dragon Balls, which are scattered all over the world. If all seven are gathered, a powerful dragon will appear and grant one wish. The 26-volume series sequel, DRAGON BALL Z, picks up when Goku has grown up. Earth's ultimate warrior now has a son named Gohan who is even more powerful than his father. Together they use martial arts and other powers to battle time travelers, aliens, deities and the mighty Super Saiyans to save the universe. DRAGON BALL and DRAGON BALL Z together have sold more than 500,000 copies in North America and the 400+ episode anime series was a consistent ratings winner on Cartoon Network.

Also coming out in a VIZBIG Edition in September 2008, VAGABOND is an action-packed portrayal of the life and times of the quintessential warrior-philosopher--the most celebrated samurai of all time! Striving for enlightenment by way of the sword, Miyamoto Musashi is prepared to cut down anyone who stands in his way.

Alvin Lu, VIZ Media Vice President, Publishing, is excited about the debut, saying, "VIZBIG Editions are more than just an alternative format to read your favorite manga - with full color pages, eye-opening larger trim size, and a premium presentation – they change the very experience of reading manga. For fans of these series, they are a great opportunity to relive their favorite stories from a completely new perspective, and for new fans, this is a great way to jump in and quickly get up to speed on what everyone's been talking about – the world-renowned stories and characters behind RUROUNI KENSHIN, DRAGON BALL, and DRAGON BALL Z."

EYESHIELD 21 ANIMATED SERIES TO DEBUT ON TOONAMI JETSTREAM

Acclaimed Series About Football Is The Latest Addition To Popular Joint Cartoon Network/VIZ Media Broadband Streaming Site

San Francisco, CA, December 13, 2007 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the launch of the EYESHIELD 21 animated series on Toonami Jetstream, the popular online destination developed jointly by Cartoon Network and VIZ Media. The first episode debuts on December 17th and will be available at http://ToonamiJetstream.com.

EYESHIELD 21 was adapted from the popular manga graphic novel series written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Yasuke Murata and published domestically by VIZ Media. The story is about teenager, Sena Kobayakawa, who has been picked on all of his life and decides to join the high school varsity football team as a team manager in hopes of reinventing himself. However, the cruel team captain Yoichi Hiruma discovers Sena's lightning-fast running ability and forces him to play as a running back with a secret identity as "Eyeshield 21." From that point on, Sena's life changes completely. The EYESHIELD 21 manga originally debuted in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump and, in addition to the animated series, spawned a popular feature film and several video and trading card games. The property has also inspired legions of Japanese kids to take up the popular American sport of football.

Toonami Jetstream, a site developed jointly by Cartoon Network and VIZ Media, is an online extension Cartoon Network's successful Toonami action-adventure television franchise. The http://ToonamiJetstream.com site provides on-demand, full-length streaming episodes of a number of hit animated and action series and has attracted millions of viewers since its launch in 2006. Toonami Jetstream is a free service, supported by advertising that includes both streaming video ads and graphic ads.

"EYESHIELD 21 is an action-packed drama with a positive message, teaching the importance of teamwork, overcoming obstacles and having goals," says Daniel Marks, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media. "The addition of the series to the diverse offerings on Toonami Jetstream exemplifies our commitment to bring the best action and adventure series to the Toonami audience. We invite everyone to check out EYESHIELD 21 and see what has made this unique series such a hit."

"We are very pleased to expand our offerings on Toonami Jetstream with the addition of EYESHIELD 21," says Paul Condolora, senior vice president and general manager, Cartoon Network New Media. "EYESHIELD 21 puts an interesting twist on this American sport and we look forward to fans of all stripes checking out this captivating series."


About Cartoon Network New Media

Cartoon Network New Media is responsible for the production of Cartoon Network's popular Web sites, which include CartoonNetwork.com, ToonamiJetstream.com, Awesomehouseparty.com and CartoonNetworkYa.com (the Spanish-language site for kids). These sites are some of the most popular entertainment sites in the world for kids, currently attracting an average of more than 6 million unique users each month in the U.S. (Nielsen//NetRatings). The top attraction is their roster of games, which drew more than 2 billion game plays in 2006. In addition, Cartoon Network New Media is the creative force behind Cartoon Network's video-on-demand offerings, interactive TV and mobile offerings, which include partnerships with such major carriers as Sprint, AT&T and Verizon.

About Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in more than 91 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s ad-supported cable service offering the best in original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families. Overnight from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday (ET, PT), Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18-34.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.



About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd. (ShoPro Japan), VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America and a global licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including, magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, videos, DVDs and audio soundtracks and develops and markets animated entertainment from initial production, television placement and distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions for audiences and consumers of all ages.

Ah, here we are my final holiday photo gallery. I've touched on video games, books and action figures, now I'm going to share with you nine DVD box sets that I've personally enjoyed, and that will appeal to a variety of taste for the anime lover in you. Just click on the first image below to check out the gallery and see what I have to say and trust me this is just the tip of the iceberg. Please check out anime when you have a minute, even if you don't watch it now. Trust me, it's not all hentai and big eyes, there is indeed something for everyone. I encourage you to check out Anime Sentinel, and soon I'll be launching a more comprehensive blog getting into more detail on Anime, Manga, Video Games and more. Good times.

Must Have DVD Box Sets Photo Gallery

Viz is offering up a boy and his dragon (not named Pete) as well as a good cop who's a bad cop when pushed to extremes. Say hello to Ral Ω Grad and Switch.

Ral Ω Grad vol. 1 Impression
From artist of Death Note, Takeshi Obata with story by Tsune Takano Ral Grad is the story of a Dragon, a shadow dragon sealed away in a baby boy. During a great war shadow monsters began to appear, monsters that could live in a persons (or animals) shadow, share the host's body, control the body or completely consume the host and use their shape for deception. These shadows are evil for the most part, with rare exceptions such as Ral and Grad. See Grad is a shadow dragon, a very powerful one who was sealed by a knight in the body of a baby, and the baby was sealed in a tomb with no light. Day after day the boy grew and was tutored by Mio, a young lady not too bad on the eyes. When shadows attack the kingdom has no choice but to enlist the help of the innocent Ral and his dragon Grad. They are released, save the day and Ral starts to learn about the finer things in life, mainly women. He loves him some ladies and will do anything to protect them, even setting out on a journey to vanquish the evil queen of the shadows, herself only concerned with being beautiful.

That is a quick, quick summary of Ral Grad, called Blue Dragon in Japan, not tied to the Microsoft video game here in the states. The art, coming from Obata is outstanding and the story crafted by Takano is both funny and violent with clashes of monsters and shadows that's going to look great when it's animated (it will be). As a character Grad is wise and guides the young Ral, who's no pushover himself, even though he lets on that he is. As the story progresses new friends join the journey, enemies are revealed as are powers, pretty standard fare for an action anime. What sets Ral Grad apart is story, or I should say the potential in the story. The mix of unique characters and shadow powers has reliving my Blue Dragon days on the Xbox, but finally getting the mature adventure I wanted. Here's to hoping this story really progresses, until then Ral Grad is a must buy for any fantasy, action manga fan.

With the holidays fast approaching what do you get for the comic, anime, manga, gaming fan on your wish list that they may not be expecting ... a book. Below is a quick list of some book buys non-fans may not know about or really think about getting but are sure to be enjoyed when opened under the tree this holiday season. Remember there are tons of great comic collections out there, like the Dark Horse Hard Cover Star Wars 30th Anniversary books, but what I'm looking at below are those lesser know, off the wall books not falling into the graphic novel section. Agree, disagree, that's what we're here for so chime in.

Warcraft The Sunwell Trilogy Ultimate Edition – Tokyopop
What is It? All three volumes of Tokyopop's Warcraft manga collected and enlarged with a slew of extras. With art by Jae-Hwan Kim (King of Hell) and story by Richard A. Knaak (Dragonlance, Diablo) this is one nice collection. The story is in manga format and tells the tale of the Sunwell taking place in the World of Warcraft setting with familiar locations and characters making appearances.
What's So Special? Besides getting the hard cover and enlargement treatment readers are treated to an afterwards by Chris Metzen, VP Creative Development at Blizzard, a full color new intro to the manga, 8 pages of WoW history, Bios for Knaak and Kim along with unseen sketchers, nice little poster and for WoW trading card fans a special, limited edition card.
Who Will Like It? Video Gamers who like Warcraft or Fantasy games and Manga fans also into fantasy.

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES NARUTO MANGA SHADOW BOX LIMITED COLLECTOR SET

Most Elaborate Manga Box Set Ever Published In North America Bundles Host Of Extras With 27 Volumes Of Smash Hit Ninja Series

San Francisco, CA, November 13, 2007 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the ultimate NARUTO manga collection - a special NARUTO Shadow Box Limited Collector Set which bundles all 27 volumes of the hit series' first story arc. With the 2007 holiday season fast approaching, this set, which is the most extensive and elaborate manga box set the company has published to date, will be a highly desired item among many fans. The NARUTO Shadow Box Limited Collector Set is expected to be released today and has a limited production run of 5,000.

The NARUTO Shadow Box Limited Collector Set contains 27 volumes housed in a special wooden display box that is individually numbered and emblazoned with the NARUTO logo. Included are the final three volumes of the first story arc – available in advance of their December 4 general release date. A special mini-manga of the "proto-chapter" of the first NARUTO story ever published is also included, along with a sneak peek of Vol. 28, an exclusive two-sided color poster, collectible graphic novel cover stickers, and a NARUTO trading card exclusive to VIZ Media. The NARUTO Shadow Box Limited Collector Set, with a suggested retail price of $189.95, will be available at select major book retailers and also thru the VIZ Media online store at store.viz.com. Pre-orders on the VIZ Media website are being accepted now. A limited production run of 5,000 makes this a serious collectible for any NARUTO or manga fan.

NARUTO has emerged as one of the best selling and most popular manga series throughout North America, regularly placing in both Graphic Novel and Overall General Fiction categories on noted literary sales rosters including BookScan and the USA Today Top 150. It was also the first manga to ever win a noted literary Quill Award in 2006. NARUTO has become one of VIZ Media's most successful manga properties in terms of sales. The series, by creator Masashi Kishimoto, depicts the adventures of a young boy who trains to become a ninja, and has sold more than 80 million copies in Japan since Shueisha Inc. began publishing the manga in 1999.

"The NARUTO Shadow Box Limited Collector Set is probably the most elaborate and comprehensive single manga box set ever published in North America and we are extremely excited to release it in plenty of time for the holidays," says Liza Coppola, Sr. Vice President, Marketing, VIZ Media. "The massive popularity of the manga shows no signs of slowing and this is the ultimate collection for any serious fan. The set is an ideal way to display the entire run of NARUTO and we've also included a host of extras that make this a real must-have this holiday season. We expect it to be a feature on many die-hard fans' wish lists this year."

The release of the box set is the culmination of NARUTO NATION, a broad campaign launched by VIZ Media earlier this year that began by bringing an unprecedented increase in the frequency of publication of the series. In order to catch up to the present Japanese release schedule and to prepare readers for upcoming notable changes in the main character and story arc, VIZ Media has offered three new volumes of the NARUTO manga per-month since September – a first for any U.S. manga publisher. The company has also released a variety of other related NARUTO products including the DVD release of NARUTO THE MOVIE: NINJA CLASH IN THE LAND OF SNOW, a gorgeous hardcover UZUMAKI: ART OF NARUTO edition, the NARUTO ANIME PROFILES: HIDEN SHIPPU EMAKI, and NARUTO MISSION: PROTECT THE WATERFALL VILLAGE!, the latest addition to the collection of NARUTO novels under the VIZ Fiction imprint.

VIZ Media also plans to launch the manga with the new NARUTO story arc in March 2008, which depicts the next stage of the saga about a boy training to become a ninja with the main character now three years older. Fans can also get a peek at the new NARUTO story in the January 2008 issue of SHONEN JUMP Magazine, on sale December 4, 2007.

VIZ MEDIA TEAMS WITH DIRECT2DRIVE TO MAKE NARUTO ANIME SERIES AVAILABLE FOR DIGITAL DOWNLOAD IN THE U.S.

Massively Popular Series Is The Latest VIZ Media Animated Title To Be Offered By Direct2Drive

San Francisco, CA, November 16, 2007 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the availability of the NARUTO animated series for digital download in the U.S. on Direct2Drive, IGN Entertainment's premiere digital retail store. Episodes of the series debut sequentially beginning on November 15, 2007 with episodes costing $1.99 each; fans may go to http://www.direct2drive.com to download the first 25 episodes.

NARUTO is the latest animated series to be offered on a Download-to-Own (DTO) basis via Direct2Drive. VIZ Media teamed with the popular outlet earlier this year to offer DEATH NOTE and BLEACH, and both series received an enthusiastic response from fans and Direct2Drive users.

"We are very pleased to expand our relationship with VIZ Media and add this massively popular series to our roster of animated titles," says Sutton Trout, Vice President of Digital Content for IGN Entertainment. "Direct2Drive is committed to offering the latest premium digital content targeting our early adopter audience, including PC games, popular TV shows, movies, comics and animated titles, directly from the Web to the desktop."

NARUTO is now one of the most popular and successful manga and animation properties in North America. The general storyline of both the NARUTO manga and animated series depicts the adventures of a young boy named Naruto Uzumaki who trains to become a ninja. Naruto, cursed with the spirit of The Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit sealed within his body, is forced to live a bullied life discriminated against by his fellow villagers. But Naruto is resilient and undaunted and his determination often inspires those around him. Through the adventures, the young ninja learns the importance of friendship, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, creativity, ingenuity and right vs. wrong.

"Making NARUTO available for digital download will expand the fan base for the series," says Daniel Marks, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media. "Download-to-Own has become a compelling addition to our business model and one we hope to take full advantage of it for popular titles like NARUTO, BLEACH and DEATH NOTE. We look forward to NARUTO fans revisiting their favorite episodes using Direct2Drive and to having casual fans check out the action-packed series from the beginning."

One of my absolute favorite comics right now, without a doubt? NANA, a modern day "odd couple" story starring two Japanese women by Ai Yazawa. And now, the movie is going to hit North America in early 2008.

It's a simple premise; Nana Komatsu is a young, innocent girl from the country who falls in love a the drop of a hat, while Nana Osaki is a punk rocker who's tough enough to face the world around her and real-world savvy. When the two meet on a train heading to Tokyo (where both are moving), they end up sharing an apartment together, despite the two being radically different kinds of people. And as you can imagine, the two both have conflict with each other as well as grow to enjoy each other's presence.

Like I said, a simple premise, but honestly it's one of the best comics out there. Yazawa's art is gorgeous, and the storytelling is so alive and interesting that it transcends its basic ideas and continually feels fresh and exciting. Each time a new volume is released, it's promptly devoured at my home because I can't wait to see just what happens next. So the idea of the live-action movie being released in English? Well, I'm over the moon.

Even better, NANA was a big hit in Japan, which makes me think (and hope) that it's great. You know, I think I'd even settle for merely "good" because I'm so excited about the idea of people unfamiliar with the comic reading it, wanting to find out more, and then picking up volumes of the manga and also falling in love with Yazawa's stories. With an actual theatrical release for the NANA movie, well, anything's possible.

And what's that? There was a sequel movie, NANA 2? The excitement is getting to be too much... I think I'm going to just sit down and fan myself with a copy of NANA until I can compose myself again. So much good stuff on the horizon!

Naruto Uzumaki, star of the hit anime and manga line from Viz and star of numerous videos games is about to get the next-gen treatment on Xbox 360 with Naruto: Rise of a Ninja. What sets Rise of a Ninja apart from it's predecessors is its' the first title to appear on the Xbox 360, was developed from the ground up as an original title and is looking to take the gamer and drop them into an action adveneture game where the fighting is intense and the world of Naruto more detailed then ever seen before.

Gamers will get to explore the Village Hidden in the Leaves as well a the lands Naruto and his team visit in the anime and manga, but in much more detail as you guide the course of out mischievous ninja. In order to get even more detail, and way more excited about the game, I was fortunate enough to have Sebastien Puel, the Producer on Naruto: Rise of a Ninja answer a slew of questions I threw his way. Puel reveals more detail about the game and even teases at content to come. It's time to learn more about Naruto: Rise of a Ninja from Ubisoft ...

Q: Storyline wise, gamers get to journey with Naruto from the very beginning as he graduates from the Ninja Academy, but just how far will the storyline take us?

The story will take us until episode 80, that's to say the fight against Gaara. We decided to cover this story arch as we wanted to give players a real feeling of progression and achievement. Episode 80 is for Naruto the first time when he realizes his own strength and valor and that he really gets acknowledged by others. He does something of crucial importance for his community – by saving the Leave Village – and we wanted the player to feel this achievement at the end of the game.

Q: So it's safe to assume the story in the sequel to RoaN will pick up right after the originals ending?

First, you are assuming here that there will be a sequel to RoaN – we are not as far right now! But to answer your question, yes, it would make sense to start a sequel from this point.

Naruto: Rise of a Ninja Xbox 360 Screens

You've heard of Lifetime, television for women right? Well I've seen a few shows on this channel, courtesy of my wife, and I must say, it's TV for women indeed. It targets its audience and does not give the men in the house much chance to get hooked. Viz fortunately does not suffer from the same syndrome with its Shojo Beat manga lineup. Shojo manga are targeted at the female demographic, whereas the Shonen is more male oriented. Where one embraces action, the other takes on relationships, BUT not all the time. As a red-blooded, sports loving, raw meat eating guy I love me some action manga, but like any good breakfast cereal I have my sweet side also. Wild Ones from Viz's Shojo Beat line of manga appeals to my sweet side, but hooks me with its Yakuza influence.

Sachie Wakamura is adopted by her estranged grandfather after her mother passes away. The hitch, he's the head of a yakuza gang so Sachie's new 'family' is indeed different. As the granddaughter of the boss, Sachie cannot maintain her normal life no matter how much she tries, especially when Rakuto is assigned as her bodyguard. He's about the same age and attends the same high school as Sachie, but he's also mega-popular, good looking and an all-around stud. As to be expected Sachie begins to fall for Rakuto, but seeing as how she's the boss' granddaughter that's a no, no for the tow of them plus does Rakuto have the same feelings? Don't let the title mislead you. In volume 1 of Wild Ones Sachie and Rakuto are anything but wild. This is the story of a young girl thrust into a new world where violence reigns, yet none is really seen in the series. The yakuza henchmen are bumbling fools trying to please Sachie and offering their fingers for any misstep while the boss is (so far) a sweet caring grandfather missing is deceased daughter trying to know his granddaughter. At its heart is a romance brewing, one with history, one that is taboo due to the work status of Rakuto and the secrecy of Sachie's new family.

Press Release

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will spook mature-aged manga fans nationwide with an array of horror manga just in time for Halloween. Known for stories that blend the supernatural with the surreal, the horror genre of manga is truly one of the most unique and perhaps underrepresented, but definitely worthy of exploration. VIZ Media will offer four acclaimed titles that are guaranteed to scare this October under its Signature imprint. The titles include PORTUS, Vol. 8 of DRIFTING CLASSROOM and 2nd Editions of UZUMAKI and GYO.

UZUMAKI (2nd Edition)
Rated "M" for Mature
MSRP: $9.99
Available October 16, 2007

A new 2nd Edition of this unique horror manga from Junji Ito, UZUMAKI, depicts a town's creepy obsession with spirals. Slowly but steadily, people become variously fascinated with, terrified of, consumed by and ultimately killed by the countless occurrences of the spiral in nature - seashells, ferns, whirlpools in water, and whirlwinds in air. Junji Ito is one of Japan's most acclaimed horror manga creators, winning the prestigious Umezu prize for horror. UZUMAKI was also turned into a live action film in 2000 and set off a run of popular Japanese horror films including Ju-On and Ringu. UZUMAKI will make an impression with the reader as the hapless town inhabitants are pulled ever deeper under the spiral's spell, as if into a whirlpool from which there is no return. The 2nd Edition features a trim black cover with red lettering.

GYO (2nd Edition)
Rated "M" for Mature
MSRP: $9.99
Available October 16, 2007

Another horror masterpiece from Junji Ito offers a fishy horror tale that will guarantee a second thought before a trip to the seashore! From the mind of Eisner-nominated manga artist Junji Ito comes this diabolical tale of a peaceful town terrorized by waterborne monstrosities. Something is rotten in Okinawa as the rank odor of death floats over the island. A strange, legged fish appears on the scene and so begins teenager Tadashi's wild adventure into the horror (and stench) of the sea. The new 2nd Edition features a trim black cover with red lettering that complements the 2nd Edition of UZUMAKI.

PORTUS
Rated "M" for Mature
MSRP: $9.99
Available October 9, 2007

Asami's best friend Chiharu has stopped coming to school and isn't answering her phone. It seems she has found something that's a little more addictive than the school art club. But when Chiharu mysteriously commits suicide, all Asami finds in her room is a strange video game called Portus. With the help of two of her teachers, Asami hopes to solve the mystery behind her friend's macabre death and the bizarre game. But is she prepared for the horrors of entering the twisted world of Portus, a game where, if you lose, death is your only option? Creator Jun Abe debuted with his manga Nedan wa Ii-yo in 1990, and followed with several other titles including The Yamada-ke and Miruo-Pon in Weekly Young Sunday, and Japanese Ahokko Kids in Monthly Sunday GX. PORTUS is notable for beautiful, precise illustrations reminiscent of the work of Takeshi Obata (DEATH NOTE).

DRIFTING CLASSROOM Vol. 8
Rated "M" for Mature
MSRP: $9.99
Available October 16, 2007
Without warning, a Japanese elementary school is transported out of the world they know, and into a nightmarish wasteland. Have they gone to another planet, or is this toxic world actually a vision of Earth's future? Soon, the students and teachers must struggle to survive in impossible conditions, besieged by terrifying creatures and beset by madness. Part Lord of the Flies, part post-apocalyptic Kid Nation, THE DRIFTING CLASSROOM (1972-1974) by Kazuo Umezu is a classic can't-put-down manga series that was also adapted into a Japanese live-action movie (1987). Volume 8 of the 11-volume series finds Sho, a 6th grader and leader of the marooned group of kids, forced into slavery by the crazed former cook of their school. Sho and a small band manage to escape and make it into the wrecked Tokyo subway where they encounter a world of horror, but also perhaps the answer to the end of the world.

"The Halloween season is a perfect time for the release of this collection of horror manga titles," states Alvin Lu, Vice President, Publishing, VIZ Media. "Each of these stories is unique and we are pleased to offer an exceptional selection of content under our Signature imprint to make this year's Halloween an especially scary one. Horror manga is not yet widely known in North America and we look forward to fans discovering this under-appreciated genre through these terrifying new releases!"

more VIZ Media Halloween news...
SHOJO BEAT Magazine
Don't miss the October issue of Shojo Beat magazine - it includes tons of Halloween content, including two Halloween hot lists, a Do It Yourself guide to throwing an awesome Shojo Beat-themed Halloween party, and a four-page feature on the most terrifying movies, manga and myths in Japan! Plus, a story on traditional Japanese sweets (including an easy recipe for mochi!), an intimate interview with Japanese rock stars An Café, an interview with a gothic lolita designer who's making waves in the US, and an exclusive manga preview! In addition, the goddess of gothic Shojo manga, Junko Mizuno, creepily renders our Beat Girl. The issue includes a deliciously dark poster from the vampire-romance series Vampire Knight! The October issue of Shojo Beat Magazine also includes the chance for readers to win the Limited Edition perfumes; 'Vampire Tears' and 'Midnight Kiss', inspired by SHOJO BEAT and created by Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs, these can also be purchased at www.blackphoenixalchemylabs.com

Haloween Event!
VIZ Media will be sponsoring a night of Halloween fun October 18th at New York city's premier haunted attraction, Blood Manor. Blood Manor is a first class Haunted Attraction comprised of approximately 5,000 square feet of themed rooms, corridors, and a labyrinth of passageways designed to maximize one's fears! The first 500 attendees on October 18th will receive a SHONEN JUMP + SHOJO BEAT gift bag filled with Halloween filled goodies including magazines, a DEATH NOTE calendar, VAMPIRE KNIGHT poster, BLACH DVD sampler and SHOJO BEAT inspired perfumes 'Vampire Tears' and 'Midnight Kiss' by Gothic scent specialists Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs. For more information about this exciting month long Haunted Attraction go to www.bloodmanor.com.

Time for some comic books! Not just any comic books, though. New comic books! Maybe I'll just start writing about old comics...."Hey! Did you guys check out that RAVAGE 2099? Good stuff!" "Oh yeah, sure. It's great, but it's no PITT!"

BOOSTER GOLD #3
Booster Gold is a time-traveling fool. In the last issue, he accidentally caused the Sinestro War and in this issue he's in a drinking contest with Jonah Hex! I would've never thought that a continuity-heavy time-traveling book would be one of the best things that DC is putting out, but it is.

BLACK SUMMER #3
This book is surrounded by a giant cloud of controversy. Issue #0 had just a wee bit of Presidential assassination in it. By a superhero. Who then held a White House press conference covered in blood. Ahhh....Warren Ellis. The thing is, instead of drowning in self-righteousness, BLACK SUMMER has actually managed to tell an intriguing action-packed story.

FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #24
The second part of the One More Day storyline, in which Spider-Man learns that he only has one more day before he turns into a spider after the Kingpin assassinates Mary Jane and Aunt May for turning him into a clone of Norman Osborn and Gwen Stacy's twin babies. Now with 35% less wisecracking!

Hello there, Greg McElhatton. What's on your comics-reading agenda this week?

When I first heard the news that Viz Media was releasing a limited-edition pair of Bleach shoes (only 360 pairs being made!), my first thought was, "That's pretty cool." Take a hot property in animation, video games (and what amazing timing, new Bleach games for both the Wii and the NintendoDS are released today), and comics and create a snazzy looking piece of clothing around them. (The full press release is after the jump.) And these shoes? They look great.

And then it hit me-why aren't we seeing more higher-end comic-book tie-in clothing items?

Sure, there are tons of t-shirts related to comics, more than I can count. (I've certainly had my own collection of them over the years.) And who can forget the superhero Underoos for little kids, where they could be Superman or Spider-Man under their clothes? But I'm thinking a little nicer than that sort of thing, to be honest.

I do remember, about a decade ago, there being a really nice silk bathrobe with a Superman shield on the back available at the Warner Brothers Store. That was a great piece of merchandising, because let's face it, what man doesn't want to feel like Superman when he's down to just a robe? It's one of those clothing items that I now kick myself for not buying (although since I can just imagine my other half cackling at the thought, perhaps it's just as well I didn't), since it's nowhere to be found on the internet these days.

But think about a nice leather jacket with an X-Men circle-and-X logo on the breast, for instance. Or snazzy designer sneakers with the Green Lantern logo patterned across their sides. The sort of thing that at a glance just looks trendy and well-put-together, but for anyone who has half an inkling about what the logo is, there's that added sense of, "Hey, that's really cool" added to it.

With limited-edition runs on designer clothing items becoming more and more common (did you think that episode of Entourage about Turtle trying to get the rare sneakers made that up?) I can't help but think that most companies are missing out on a chance to make money, as well have really happy fans. Our credit cards are waiting. What are you ready to buy?

It's Wednesday all over again and it's a good week to be a comics fan of any stripe. Just take a look at what's coming out this week.

First, I've got an overflow of superhero goodness.

WORLD WAR HULK #4
I bet you think I'm sick of World War Hulk. I wrote what felt like a bazillion reviews and have now turned into a giant slacker in regards to all things gamma-irradiated. The thing is, WORLD WAR HULK remains incredible. Madison Square Garden turned into a battle arena? Yup. But, seriously, you had me at "puny humans".




GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY WEDDING SPECIAL #1
Ah, but didn't we get a Wedding Special last week? It ends up that was just the first issue of Dwayne McDuffie's run on JUSTICE LEAGUE with strippers in it. Doesn't matter. It was a great kick-off to what should be a fun year of JLA. This week we get the real deal wedding with some superhero fisticuffs thrown in for good measure. It's all held together by a humorous script from Judd Winick and great, expressive Amanda Conner artwork. Plus, it has at least three times as many strippers as last week's JLA Special.

HIGHWAYMEN #4
I could try to stretch and say this is a superhero comic but it's not. What it is is an awesome action movie in comic form about two over-forty bad-asses protecting a human WMD from the government by driving really fast and shooting a lot of stuff. The art is a little like Quitely, a little like Dillon and the comic is a whole lot like awesome.

What can possibly as good as that, McElhatton?


Tezuka's pretty hard to argue with. That's just the tip of the iceberg this week, though. MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS, UMBRELLA ACADEMY, TALES OF THE SINESTRO CORPS: PARALLAX, a sweet new FINDER collection, JLA: HITMAN and (sadly) the last issue of Kirkman's memorable IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN all hit the stands today as well. So enjoy a great week of comics!